Moving City Hall still possible, Brudnicki says

By ZACK McDONALD / The News Herald

Published: Saturday, March 9, 2013 at 07:48 PM.

“We got the land-use codes in line with the comprehensive plans and have tried to eliminate any barriers of entry in the market,” Brudnicki said. “If [businesses] have a choice between two cities, we want them to come here.”

Now developers are welcome to create either residential lofts or condos, while businesses can establish themselves downtown.

“We’d like to have an environment that you’d have people living, shopping and playing downtown,” Brudnicki said.

During Brudnicki’s first term, the city approved an overhaul of the marina, designed an events handbook and made other advances, but some ideas were put on the back burner in exchange.

Brudnicki researched the possibility of an aquarium downtown, but after exploring maintenance costs with cities that operate aquariums he said he didn’t feel like it would be viable. But, Panama City has one thing they don’t.

“Some of these places have to cart in loads of water,” Brudnicki said. “Here a smaller scale may work because the salinity of our bay is really advantageous and there would be less money spent to maintain the water.”

PANAMA CITY — Mayor Greg Brudnicki already has plans for his second term.

Elections are not actually until April 15, but campaigning will not occupy Brudnicki’s attention. Since qualifying ended in February without opposition for the Panama City mayoral seat, he can focus his efforts on city business.

One of Brudnicki’s ideas is unchanged from his first run for mayor. He wants to see revenue production from some of the city’s assets, including City Hall.

“We don’t need to be located on the water,” Brudnicki said. “This is too valuable an asset for people to come pay their water bill. We can get the job done in a less advantageous location.”

Though Brudnicki is not actively searching for renters and has no immediate moving plans, he invites proposals.

“We want to be in the city and we want to be accessible,” Brudnicki said. “But if the city can utilize this site to generate revenue to offset maintaining the marina in the future, then we need to look at that.”

One of the things Brudnicki said he heard when he ran for his first term was Panama City needed to be more business friendly. He thinks during his first term the commission has laid the groundwork to accomplish just that.

“We got the land-use codes in line with the comprehensive plans and have tried to eliminate any barriers of entry in the market,” Brudnicki said. “If [businesses] have a choice between two cities, we want them to come here.”

Now developers are welcome to create either residential lofts or condos, while businesses can establish themselves downtown.

“We’d like to have an environment that you’d have people living, shopping and playing downtown,” Brudnicki said.

During Brudnicki’s first term, the city approved an overhaul of the marina, designed an events handbook and made other advances, but some ideas were put on the back burner in exchange.

Brudnicki researched the possibility of an aquarium downtown, but after exploring maintenance costs with cities that operate aquariums he said he didn’t feel like it would be viable. But, Panama City has one thing they don’t.

“Some of these places have to cart in loads of water,” Brudnicki said. “Here a smaller scale may work because the salinity of our bay is really advantageous and there would be less money spent to maintain the water.”

Diversification

Attractions are not the focus of Brudnicki’s second term.

“We have to have diversification; Panama City can’t just attract tourists,” Brudnicki said. “We need tech jobs and a certain amount of industry so that when the economy changes we have a balance that is going to support what it takes to be a vibrant city.”

During Brudnicki’s next two-year term the look of Panama City could change drastically. Phase 1 of the marina project will be complete, and the city will have new revenue of as much as $2 million annually, the mayor estimated, coming in from three developments: Wal-Mart, the old airport property and Bay Medical Center Sacred Heart Health System.

“I’d like to see us actually get to the point where we can actually go into a meeting and lower the millage rate,” Brudnicki said.

An injection of an unknown amount of BP funds is expected at some point, as well. The revenue sources will not only increase the city’s budget but its commissioners’ responsibilities as they decide how it could be best used, Brudnicki said.

“But if you’re prudent and treat it like it is a business and it’s your own money then those things are possible,” he said.